I had a completely different episode in mind to share this week, but the story of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park caught my eye — especially since I just spent a couple of days walking through burned oak woodland on Sacramento Bar (as discussed here). On October 28, 2003, the Cedar Fire roared through more than 90 percent of this state park, consuming trees, historic buildings, and important historical artifacts.

But the good news is that, however devastating a wildfire can be, nature always finds a way to renew itself; oak trees can and do survive fires, and, as the ranger points out, the forest is changed… but not destroyed. Check the end of my post to see a short YouTube video, produced in 2012, showing how this beautiful state park has bounced back from the wildfire’s destruction.

Located east of San Diego and encompassing 25,000 acres, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park was devastated by the wildfires in October 2003. Join Huell on a somber visit to the park as he learns about plans to help these wildlands recover quickly and prevent future damage to this fragile landscape.

(Click on the linked image below to see the video.)